It was Opening Day for Richmond, Eugene, and San Jose today.  Bryce Eldridge homered and doubles in a San Jose loss, and Vaun Brown homered in his first game, while Eugene walked off a 1-0 thriller!

AAA: Reno 9, Sacramento 1

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Player of the Game: Marco Luciano: 3-4, 1 E (1)

It was a pretty lackluster game offensively for Sacramento, but Luciano collected half of them with three singles.  It’s Luciano’s second 3-hit game over his last three (with an 0-for-5 sandwiched by them.  He’s hitting .400 on the season (10-for-25) with two doubles.

Other Players to Spotlight:

  • DH Luis Matos: 1-4, 1 2B (1) – This is Matos’ first extra-base hit of the season (he’s got three games under his belt at Triple-A).
  • SP Carson Whisenhunt: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR – After a spectacular first start, Whisenhunt got hit a lot and hard in the thin air of Reno.

Top Prospect Lines:

  • LF Heliot Ramos: 0-4
  • 3B Casey Schmitt: 0-4, 3 K
  • CF Ismael Munguia: 0-3, 1 BB

Other Notable Lines:

  • 2B Donovan Walton: 1-3
  • RP Daulton Jefferies: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

AA: Somerset 5, Richmond 4

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Player of the Game: Vaun Brown: 1-4, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR (1), 2 K

This was a close game, but a big reason it was close was Vaun Brown hitting a 3-run home run in his first game of the season.  Brown had just nine home runs in 59 games during an injury-laden season in 2023, so it’s good to see him off to the right kind of start.

Other Players to Spotlight:

  • RF Victor Bericoto: 2-4, 1 2B (1) – The only other extra-base hit for Richmond was off of Bericoto, who is was at Richmond the second half of last season (51 games).
  • LF Hunter Bishop: 1-4, 1 K – I kind of just want to highlight that he’s playing in his Double-A debut.

Top Prospect Lines:

  • CF Grant McCray: 0-4, 4 K
  • C Adrian Sugastey: 0-3

Other Notable Lines:

  • SP John Bertrand: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR

High-A: Eugene 1, Tri-City 0

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Player of the Game: Onil Perez: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B (1)

The catcher saved his first extra-base hit for the clutchest of moments, a 9th inning 2-out double that knocked in the game’s only run that walked off the Dust Devils.  A good clutch start for him.

Other Players to Spotlight:

  • 2B Quinn McDaniel: 2-4, 1 2B (1), 1 K, 1 SB (1) – The 5th round pick got a push up to Eugene ahead of a crowded group of infielders from, and delivered on that promise.
  • SP Jack Choate: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K – Great first start for Choate, who had a 2.25 ERA in San Jose, and 87 strikeouts in 68.0 IP last season.
  • RP Dylan Cumming: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K – Great extended relief stint for Cumming, who had 86 strikeouts to 36 walks in 92.0 innings.
  • RP Cameron Cotter: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K – Another great debut, Cotter had 40 strikeouts to just five walks in 40.1 innings in 2023.

Top Prospect Lines:

  • SS Dylan Velasquez: 1-4

Other Notable Lines:

  • CF Scott Bandura: 1-4, 1 R, 2 K
  • 3B Justin Wishkoski: 1-3
  • Player Name: Stats

Low-A: Fresno 8, San Jose Giants 3

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Player of the Game: Bryce Eldridge: 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B (1), 1 HR (1), 1 E (1)

Bryce Eldridge started his first full season as the only San Jose player with multiple hits, hitting a double and a home run, and pretty much exploding Giants’ fans minds about his potential even more than already.

Other Players to Spotlight:

  • 2B Cole Foster: 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B (1), 1 K – Foster kicks off his 2024 with a double.  He had six doubles in 32 games in his first short season.
  • RF Cesar Quintas: 1-4, 1 2B (1), 1 K – In his first game above the complex levels, Quintas notches his own double.  He had ten doubles in 42 games in the ACL last season.
  • Player Name: Stats – Info

Top Prospect Lines:

  • SS Maui Ahuna: 1-4, 2 K

Other Notable Lines:

  • SP Josh Bostick: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
  • RP Sean Hjelle: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
  • CF Jonah Cox: 1-3, 1 R, 2 K, 1 SB (1)
  • C Luke Shliger: -3, 1 BB, 1 SB (1)